slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

Headmistress resigns after internet storm over Marcus the slaughtered lambSteve Bird 227 CommentsRecommend? (25) (The KM Group)Andrea Charman wanted pupils to see how meat was rearedA headteacher who became embroiled in an animal rights row after sending a lamb hand-reared by her pupils to slaughter has resigned.

Andrea Charman stepped down from Lydd Primary School — which she had steered out of special measures — for “personal reasons”, but it is understood that she was hounded out after an internet campaign that saw threats to her and to the school.

In September last year parents claimed that their children had been traumatised when they learnt that she planned to have the lamb, Marcus, killed so that its meat could be offered as raffle prizes. Marcus was one of three lambs cared for at a farm she set up when she joined the school in Romney Marsh, Kent, nine months earlier.

Children bottle-fed the lambs, as well as other animals, as part of a project to learn about their rural environment, farming and where food really came from.

Related LinksMarcus the martyred lamb did not die in vain Outcry at the death of Marcus the school sheep When the slaughter plan emerged, some parents complained that it had left their children in tears. One mother even claimed that her child needed counselling.

Hundreds of people joined protests outside the school, a “Save Marcus” Facebook page was launched and Paul O’Grady, the comedian and television chat show host, announced that he would give the lamb a home if it was spared.

Mrs Charman refused to back down, insisting that the decision to slaughter the lamb had been approved by the children’s pupil school council, with a 13-to-1 majority, and by the board of school governors.

The campaign took an ugly twist when personal threats to Mrs Charman were posted online and another Facebook page called for her to be banned from teaching altogether. Others wrote on the internet that they wanted the school burned down.

Some parents welcomed her resignation, but Michael Howard, the local MP and former leader of the Conservatives, said that she had been the victim of a relentless campaign and the personal threats had simply proved too much. “I have no doubts that she will get another headship, but that school’s gain will be Lydd’s loss,” he said.

Trudy Dixon, 26, a mother of two who campaigned to save Marcus, supported Ms Charman’s decision to quit. “A lot of people are happy that she is going because it created a lot of bad press for the school,” she said.

Mrs Charman was unavailable for comment last night but colleagues linked to the school said it was a trag-edy that someone who had removed the primary from special measures and got it a glowing Ofsted report should be hounded from her post. Geoff Marsh, chairman of the governors, said: “Under Mrs Charman’s leadership the school has improved dramatically and the whole school community is grateful to Mrs Charman for this. This is a sad day for us, but we wish her the very best for the future.”

Sarah Hohler, the Kent County Council’s cabinet member for children, families and education, said: “I have visited the school and seen first-hand the excellent work of the whole staff team, and the leadership qualities of Mrs Charman. “I would want to assure everybody in the strongest possible terms that the governing body, school staff and Kent County Council have absolute faith and confidence in Mrs Charman. We are very sorry to see her leave.”

At the time of the row, Mrs Charman said: “Many children don’t realise animals they probably pass every week end up on their plate in one form or another. And one of our sheep is a neutered male. His purpose is meat. The children choose to send that sheep to market because they want more animals.” -------------------

What is wrong with a lamb being slaughtered?How many millions are slaughtered every day?It was born to be slaughtered.If it wasn't slaughtered another would have been slaughtered in its place. Because lambs are slaughtered because people eat them.If people didn't eat them, they wouldn't be born, because farmers wouldn't have ewes impregnated.

I think the lambs should have been killed in the school, by one of the staff and all of the students should have been made to watch. More than that, I believe every meat eater should slaughter at least one animal.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

No, abdul, it was their friend, their pet. They fed it by hand. Raised it. Kind of like slaughtering your dog or cat. Its quite different than slaughtering a farm animal raised by seasoned farmers. And that must be crazy too.

I have a friend who was traumatised for life by the actions of a boss of his who guillotined a rat my friend had found the way to heal after taking a slice from his liver. Just heartlessly killed the animal in front of him as a punishment for trying to do the impossible, making surgical history as well. My friend was never the same after that, never, though he has a tremendous aptitude for chemistry and science, entered a lab again. Killing beloved animals is strange and shouldn't be tolerated. Though the death threats are not so good.

No, that lady may be an administrative wiz but missed the humanitarian boat when she insisted on that kind of end to that lambs life. It will probably result in many vegetarians for life.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

I have to say that I am with you on this Abdullahcohn... its pretty harsh but its life... people would have more respect for the animals & what they are eating if they didnt think of it as coming wrapped in cling film from the supermarket chiller.

My kids know - we have pet chickens for eggs that I wouldnt kill for meat unless we were very desperate but they kids both know that if I ever have the oportunity we would live on a farm & kill our own meat.

Jamies shows have copped the same criticisms - I watched them first & recorded them to watch with my kids... my kids love Jamies books too.. even Italy - though I have hypocrite inlaws who think the book is disgusting even though there is not a vegetarian amongst them.

I do think that if an animal is raised for meat it is much better not to name it.. it causes much more attachment.

Friends of mine bought a pigling last year & kept it 9 monthes... it was penned away from the house & named "Dinner" Their daughter knew what it was for, the Dad took it out to the forest to shoot & butcher it. Their little girl ate it happily knowing it was good quality meat that had been raised well. She is 8yo.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

I dont think I would just take my kids to the abbotoire as a surprise/fun day out or anything but I do think its important to raise kids to know about the reality of being a meat eater.

There is something wildly askew in our world where almost every tv show has murder & mayhem as its theme - we find it entertaining, but the thought of killing an animal for food, which is a necesity as most of the worlds pop eats meat... sends people screaming...

How could those idiots threaten the life of a human being as retribution for killing a sheep?

Another thought - another very popular genre in the literary world is true crime.. we love it... but the same people who read about people keeping human body parts in the freezer as trophies or food are disgusted by someone killing an animal for food.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

Doesn't this mean that the children themselves voted for it?

Mrs Charman refused to back down, insisting that the decision to slaughter the lamb had been approved by the children’s pupil school council, with a 13-to-1 majority, and by the board of school governors.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

So, I'm not sure where you really stand Frizz. Not sure. Sheep are people too. And I don't approve of the death threats at all.

My position is that she let the kids devote their love to the animal, fed it with a bottle and gave it a name. It was a pet. That they didn't understand what they were getting into was natural. In bull fighting they let the best bulls go. If it fights that well, they don't kill them. If they are loved admired enough.

I know we are crazy, watch all the murder and mayhem and then eat beasts that are treated so badly most of the time, attitiude wise, all the time. Its absurd. But so much of what we consider normal is absurd. The poisons oi don't get me started. And civilization, egh. The havoc reeked in the name of the Prince of Peace and all that, utterly insane. But she- the principal, could have made the ruse ofkilling thr lamb and then revealed that it was still alive to make het point...too Disney...remember Bambi's mother? ON and on. I thought she was to rough.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

I think it was yet another case of do good parents wanting to wrap their babies in cotton wool and not expose them to the reality of life, hence generation Y is as it is. God forbid if little Johnny feels an emotion other than greed, mind numbing bliss or instant satisfaction. I do believe the Mrs Charman should have made it clear from the beginning that this was the intention for this particular lamb. But perhaps she did and it just wasnt written about, who knows.

Whitedog, I hear your sentiments but guillotining a rat for punishment and humanly killing a lamb for food and education are poles apart.

Re: slaughtered Lamb, head made to resign by hypocrits

I wonder, how old were these kids? "Primary school", what's that mean? I think there is an age at which this would be a great lesson, and an age at which the kids would be too young.In high school, (age 16 or so), I stayed on a farm where they had cows, and sent one off to the abbatoire across the road - all the other cows mooed nonstop for 12 hours after, all through the night. It was a poignant lesson for me although I didn't become vegetarian. But I can imagine it may have been a little too strong for me at a very young age.

edit: the same week, I saw a horse being gelded - whoa, I can definitely imagine an age limit on witnessing that!

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